50692: She did not fast for many days because she was unaware of the ruling and does not know how many days they were

I do not know how many days I did not fast in the past when I was with my family, because we were living in a village and no one knew anything about the rulings on fasting. I did not fast during those days, and I do not know how many days I did not fast. I paid some money for those days, and then I found out from one of the sisters that I have to make up those days, but I do not know how many days there are. What should I do?.

Praise be to Allaah.

The Muslim has to learn the rulings of Islam that he needs
to know, whether they are matters of ‘aqeedah (belief) and usool al-deen,
or practical matters such as purity (tahaarah) and prayer. If he is
wealthy then he has to learn the rulings on zakaah. If he is a businessman
then he has to learn the rulings on financial transactions, and so on.
When the month of Ramadaan is approaching, the Muslim who is accountable
has to learn the rulings of fasting even if he is unable to fast, so that
he may learn what he has to do instead of fasting.

So what you and your family have to do is to repent to Allaah
and pray for forgiveness for your failure to ask and seek knowledge
concerning this matter.

It is not permissible to give money, even for those who are
unable to fast such as the elderly and chronically sick, because what they
must do if they do not fast in Ramadaan is to feed one poor person for each
day. Giving money instead of food for the days when they did not fast is not
sufficient.

Based on this, we hope that the money you gave will count as
charity for which you will be rewarded on the Day of Resurrection.

What you have to do is to make up those days when you did not
fast. You can try to work them out until you reach the number which you are
certain of. If you cannot do that then do what you think is most likely. If
you think it most likely that the number is thirty days, for example, then
you have to fast these days.

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope”

[al-Baqarah 2:286]

You do not have to fast
them one after another, rather it is permissible for you to fast them
separately, according to what you are able to do. But you have to hasten to
fast them and do not delay them again.

You should start by making up the Ramadaan of the last year
first, so that the next Ramadaan will not come before you have observed
these fasts.

Some of the scholars stated that as well as fasting you have
to feed one poor person for each day, to make up for delaying the fast. But
the more correct view is that you have to fast only, especially if you are
poor. But if you can feed others as well as fast, that is good.

All of this is based on the assumption that you did not fast
for a legitimate reason, such as menstruation. But if you had no legitimate
excuse for breaking the fast, then you do not have to make up the fast,
rather you have to repent to Allaah and pray for His forgiveness, and
compensate for these days by observing naafil fasts and doing good deeds.

We have also discussed this matter and the fatwas of the
scholars in the answer to question no.
50067.